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Shaw takes windsurfing bronze

20/08/2008

Great Britain's Bryony Shaw has won a bronze medal in the RS:X windsurfing event at the Beijing Olympic Games.

The 25-year-old, competing in her first-ever Olympics, finished the medal race in second behind Italy's Alessandra Sensini, who claimed the silver overall.

China's Yin Jian took the gold medal in the overall standings after going into the final race five points clear of Sensini.

A tearful Shaw said afterwards: "I'm just so, so happy, it was such a tough race and has been such a tough week and I'm just so happy - it's the best thing in the world.

"I just went out to sail as fast as I could. And well done to the Chinese and Italian girls, that was really, really tough racing right until the end."

The medal is Britain's fifth in the sailing events at the Games, following golds in the men's Finn, men's Laser and women's Yngling classes and a silver in the men's double-handed 470.

Britain's Nick Dempsey failed to add to the tally, however, finishing just outside the medals in fourth after a nailbiting finish to the men's RS:X windsurfing event.

New Zealand's Tom Ashley pipped Julien Bontemps of France to the gold medal, with Israel's Shahar Zubari claiming the bronze.